NZPhotographer Issue 45, July 2021

The streets of the ancient town of Kruje.
Canon 6D Mk1 + Canon 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM @ F/7.1, 1/80s, ISO160, 16mm
right beside the church is a 600 year old olive tree -
probably the largest, most magnificent olive tree you’ll
ever see! It was planted on the wedding day of the
Albanian hero Skanderbeg who held off the Ottomans
from this very castle. The streets surrounding the castle
are original cobblestone and you can tell they’re old
by how smooth they are. Shops line the streets selling
homemade, handmade souvenirs – no plastic, trashy
souvenirs to be found here. However, due to Covid
times the people are hurting, these stores came about
because of international tourism and with it vanishing
overnight and for such a long period the people who
changed their lives for us tourists are now left without
an income. Take your wide lens, such as a 16-35mm
for the castle proper and for the street. The streets are
narrow and rather enclosed, so a fast lens like an F/2.8
as is always the case for street photography will be
beneficial here.
Insider Tip - On your way back down the mountain
keep a close eye out for a perfect view of the castle
framed by the mountains behind it. The best spot
isn’t long after you depart from the top. There are a
couple of switchbacks that allow you to look back
towards the castle and the mountains. Ask your driver
to stop once you have a clear view. A nice long lens
will be best here, I used my 70-200mm.
CONCLUSION
All in all, Tirana isn’t a city with world class sights,
let’s be frank. Instead, it’s a city to immerse
yourself in, nowhere in particular is better than
anywhere else for shooting. It’s all good, street
opportunities abound, and interactions with
people are easy to come by in the markets. I
found that after introductions, if I asked for a
selfie before whipping out my camera, they
were relaxed enough to pose for me. The lack
of a common language between us made the
encounter fun, don’t be shy because they are,
take the lead, be bold, smile lots, and Tirana will
share with you her hidden charms.
You can follow me to keep up with my latest posts
from the road:
@susanblickphoto
@phomadic
NZPhotographer
July 2021
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